Daniel Straus is set to meet the winner of an upcoming title fight between featherweight champ Pat Curran and Patricky “Pitbull” Freire.

Straus overpowered favorite Marlon Sandro to earn a unanimous decision and win the season-six featherweight tournament at Bellator 68, which took place Friday at Palladium Ballroom in Caesars Atlantic City in Atlantic City, N.J.

Additionally, Marcos Galvao powered his way to a decision to earn a spot in the finals of the season-six bantamweight tourney.

Main-card action aired live on MTV2 while preliminary-card fights streamed on Spike.com.

Straus’ physical power immediately made itself known against Sandro. An errant leg kick sent Sandro to the canvas in pain, and for a few moments, it looked as if the fight might be called a no-contest.

Sandro eventually recovered, but he would remain tentative for much of the fight. That allowed Straus more leeway on the feet, and he took full advantage of his reach in the stop-and-start exchanges that characterized much of the action.

As in past appearances, Straus’ wrestling proved the deciding factor. He repeatedly struck his way into takedowns, and while Sandro made it difficult to put the fight on the mat, he had no difficulty tenderizing the legs while wrapping his arms around his opponent’s torso.

Sandro initiated his own takedown in the third and banked on a standing arm triangle. Straus, however, had space to breathe, and precious moments of the fight passed without movement from either fighter.

When they finally separated, Straus ducked under Sandro’s punches and slammed him to the mat. Instantly taking the Brazilian’s back, he ran out of time working for a choke, but the message was clear: he had dominated.

Judges agreed, awarding Straus scores of 29-28 and 30-27 twice.

The tourney winner said he looked forward to watching the upcoming Curran vs. Freire title fight. He’s fought and lost to both in Bellator and on the regional circuit.

“I’m a different fighter from both times I fought them,” Straus said. “I’m going to keep improving, go back to the drawing board. I’ve got to get a lot better. That wasn’t the best fight in the world, but hey.”

The Brazilian took two of three rounds on judges’ scorecards to advance to the finals of the Bellator season-six bantamweight tournament.

After dedicating his win to his mom in advance of this weekend’s holiday, Galvao said through a translator, “It’s been a dream since a kid to win this tournament.”

A measured performance saw Galvao attack Marx’s legs with powerful kicks and sent punches flying when Marx tried to reply.

Marx would attempt several times to slow the action down against the fence, but Galvao would eventually push free. Then, he would return to attacking off kicks and punishing the inside of Marx’s legs.

Galvao slowed in the second frame, prompting Marx to work for the takedown. But Galvao’s size and sprawl proved to be too great an obstacle, and the two slugged it out. Inside leg kicks twice met Marx’s groin, prompting a warning from referee Keith Peterson. But Galvao continued to attack the legs and body, and Marx again tried to take the fight down.

Failing in the grappling portion of the fight, Marx upped the tempo in striking and began to find his range with overhand rights and jabs. In response, Galvao closed distance, which allowed Marx to finally get the takedown. He couldn’t keep it, but managed to stuff Galvao against the cage.

Galvao again walked Marx down, looking for the big shot as he fended off counters. The bell rang before either could do significant damage.

After hopscotching between wins and losses in his first four Bellator appearances, Galvao (11-5 MMA, 3-2 BFC) now has back-to-back wins and a trip to the finals.

Marx (19-4 MMA, 1-1 BFC) who said the season-six competition is his last shot at big-show glory, sees a four-fight win streak snapped after an upset of Masakatsu Ueda in the tourney’s opening round.
Held does his best impression of Rousimar Palhares in submission win

Following a debut loss to now-lightweight champ Michael Chandler, 20-year-old Marcin Held continues to impress in Bellator.

A deficit in punching power against Derrick Kennington didn’t stop him from cinching a lighting-fast heel hook at the 2:08 mark of the first round.

“I try to fight more standing, but my opponent was better in this,” Held said afterward. “So I try my best type of leglock, and it worked.”

Indeed, Kennington made him work for it. A punch from the first-time Bellator fighter dropped Held in the opening minute of the fight, but the finishing blow didn’t come. Still, when Held righted himself, he took more stiff punches.

That’s when he got the idea to shoot for a takedown and drop back for a leglock. Kennington tried to defend, but was in deep water before he could escape.

For a second time, a fight between Marius Zaromskis and Waachiim Spiritwolf ends in controversy.

Their first meeting ended when Zaromskis accidentally poked Spiritwolf in the eye in a bout held two years ago under the Strikeforce banner. This time, a cut over Spiritwolf’s eye prompted the cageside doctor to recommend a stoppage between the second and third rounds.

Both fighters welcomed the possibility of a third fight after the unsatisfying result.

“Let’s do it right now,” Spiritwolf said. “I ain’t done fighting yet. Who here wants to see it again? I’m still breathing – let’s fight.”

Prior to the stoppage, it was exactly that. Tables turned in the second when Spiritwolf rocked Zaromskis after being wobbled with knees, and Zaromskis nearly expired when Spiritwolf chased him down and punished with elbows and punches. As he did, a cut opened earlier in the fight began to bleed generously.

In the first frame, Zaromskis looked to land big punches and his patented headkick while Spiritwolf worked for takedowns.

“The second time, I was expecting him to stand up, but it was wrestling and grappling, and I was surprised,” Zaromskis (17-6 MMA, 1-0 BFC) said. “We’re not finished fighting. Maybe we’ll meet again.”

But for now, he will settle for a third consecutive win in the welterweight division. Spiritwolf (9-9-1 MMA, 1-1 BFC), meanwhile, has dropped two straight.

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